Valve control mechanism for power transmission means



May 29, 1956 e. A. ARVIDSON VALVE CONTROL. MECHANISM FOR POWER TRANSMISSION MEANS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 26, 1951 INVENTOR.

May 29, 1956 G. A. ARVIDSON 2,747,419

VALVE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR POWER TRANSMISSION MEANS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 26, 1951 WWW m mmm INVENTOR.

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VALVE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR POWER TRANSMISSION MEANS Filed Oct. 26, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent F i T Patented M 12 6 "ALVE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR POWER TRANSMISSION lVIEANS Gustaf Arthur Arvidson, Davenport, Iowa, assignor of forty per cent to William J. Huls, Davenport, Eowa Application October 26, 1951, Serial No. 253,40!)

6 Claims. (Cl. 74-107) This invention relates to a power transmission mechanism, converting torque at variable speeds, and valve control means therefor, and includes, among its objects, the provision of a rotary driving means for transmitting power from one shaft to another; the provision of an improved longitudinal shifter for a rotary valve; and such further objects, advantages, and capabilities as will hereafter appear and as are inherent in the construction disclosed herein. My invention further resides in the combination, construction, and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings and, While I have shown therein what is now regarded as the preferred embodiment of this invention, I desire the same to be understood as illustrative only, and not to be interpreted in a limiting sense.

In the drawings annexed hereto and forming a part hereof,

Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal section of a connector for a pair of rotary shafts, substantially along the plane indicated by the line 1-1 in Fig. 12;

Fig. 2 shows an end view of one of the driving shafts,

. detached;

Fig. 3 shows a piston in longitudinal section with the surrounding cylinder wall also in section; V

Fig. 4 shows a modified form of piston, in section; Fig. 5 shows a transverse section, partly broken away,

approximately along the broken plane indicated by the line 55 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 shows a section substantially along the plane indicated by the line 6-6 in Fig. 1;

- angle to Fig. 7, the direction being indicated by the line 8-8 in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a plan view, partly broken away, to show the relationship of the ports and the valve operating mecha- .nism;

Fig. is a similar view with the ports closed; Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line i111 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 12 is an end elevational view taken in the direction indicated by the line 12-12 in Fig. 1.

Reference will now be made in greater detail to the annexed drawings for a more complete description of this invention. When a pair of aligned shafts are to be driven at varying speeds, or the identical speed, it may be necessary to have some sort of connection between them. They may be connected by a clutch which makes them run in synchronism, or they may be connected by a fluid clutch which allows a continuous variable speed clutching action. The resistance may be controlled, as desired, by a rotating valve which allows a more or less free exchange of fluid between a pair of cylinders or between cylinders and a compartment carrying the fluid, preferably oil as shown and claimed in my U. S. Patent 2,627,324. It is with this type of actuating mechanism that my present invention is concerned, and more particularly with the 2 actuating mechanism for the valve which controls the flow of fluid.

A pair of cooperating main shafts 1 and 2 are connected by a housing unit comprising a pair of members 3 and 4. The shaft 1 has a disk 6 connected by bolts 7 to member 3. A gear 8 surrounds the disk 6 and is secured to mem her 3 by bolts 5. Power may be taken off or applied to the mechanism by a gear meshing with gear 8. Whether there will be a speed reduction by the gear 8 or a speed step-up will be dependent upon the relative sizes of the gear 8 and the gear meshing therewith.

Between the members 3 and 4 there is an annular space which is occupied by a rotary valve member 9 which may be rotated by driven pinions 10 meshing with gear teeth 11 on the exterior of the rotary valve member 9. Each pinion 10 is keyed to the inner end of a valveoperating shaft 12 which has at its outer end a driving pinion 13, secured in place by a nut 14, which pinion 13 meshes with a control member or gear 15.

The gear 15 has rigidly secured thereto and coaxially projecting therefrom a hollow hub 16 which has diametrically opposed wall portions provided respectively with externally opening cam grooves 17, each groove being angularly and axially directed in the form of the section of a helix. The gear and hub are journaled on the main shaft 2 and are held against axial movement relative to said main shaft by a first combined radial-load and axialthrust bearing 39 which has a radial thrust flange 31 and which is secured to the main shaft by means of set screws 32, access to which from outside the hub is had via plugge openings as shown.

A sleeve 21 concentrically surrounds the hub 16 and has rigidly secured thereto a radial end wall portion or flange 20 apertured to receive the main shaft 2. Diametrically opposed portions of the sleeve are formed respectively with axially directed guide slots 22 that respectively receive guide means in the form of pins 23 that are secured to and project from the proximate end of the housing 3, 4. The gear 15 has a pair of diametrically opposed arcuate slots 24, concentric with the main shaft 2, through which the guide pins respectively extend, the pins and slots 24 serving to enable angular movement of the gear 15 within limits relative to the housing 3, 4 and the pins and guide slots 22 serving to hold the sleeve 21 against rotation relative to the housing while permitting relative axial shifting. Diametrically opposed pintles 27 respectively mount cam followers or rollers 28 on the sleeve 21 by means of ball bearings 29, and these rollers extend respectively into the cam grooves 17 of the hub 16, whereby axial shifting of the sleeve acts through the rollers and cam grooves to move the hub and gear angularly relative to the housing, thus turning the pinions 13 and shafts 12 and hence adjusting the rotary valve 9.

Axial shifting of the sleeve is effected by means of a control collar 50 which is journaled on the main shaft via means including bearings 19 and a central tubular portion 18 rigid on the sleeve end wall 20, the bearings serving not only to journal the sleeve and collar for relative rotation but to interconnect the collar and sleeve for axial movement in unison and thus comprising a second radial-load and axial-thrust bearing means.

One or more channels 33 are provided, leading fromshaft concavity 36 to expansion chamber or chambers 37 in which there is a piston 38. A channel 39 leads from the chamber 37 into the space in which the pinions 10 and gear 11 are located. It will therefore be obvious that when the gear 15 is rotated, it will cause rotation of the shafts 12, pinions 10, and rotary valve member 9, the shaft 2 being held stationary, relatively to the body. .It will be understood that, as the shaft 2 is rotated, relatively to the body, eccentrics 40 and 41 will be caused t9 turn and will cause pistons 42 and 43 to reciprocate.

3 ihpeylindegs 42a and 113a are provided with ports-45a .M ntssoaneet eylin sis with theshepnels .45. and 46. However, when the rotary valve member 9 rotates into a position such that channel 44 is not in alignmentewithithechannels diand 156, :the oil in the ehambers in which the pistons 42 and 43 reciprocate cannot move back and forth an therefore, the shaft :2. ,is lock d to the body and, hence, the shaft i2 is in direct drive with thehedy members 3 and 4. This transmitsrotary motion tot-he shaft:2. :Blugs are screwed-into fillingopenings 47 and 118, by which the cylinders aretilled with fluid, oil or other cylinderliguid, which is pumped baekand forth between the/cylinders when therotary valve member 9, is Partly or wholly open. 'Shiftingmemberor slider 5.0. may

' slide longitudinallyof theshaft and thereby shift the hub 11.8. with consequent rotation of the rotary v lv member 9.

' A secondarypiston 5.2, as shownin Fig. 3, may slide in the pistonAZorAS and be kept extended by the Belleyille springstfid. The piston of .Eig. 4 issornewhat similar-tothatof Big. "3. However, the piston 43b ofFig. 4 isinotprovidedwith piston ringsasis piston 43a of Fig. 3. The secondary pistonSZais somewhat shorter than piston 5:2, andrthe Belleville" springs are separated bya washer 54.

Theoperation of opening and closing the rotary valve member-hisshown more in detail in Figs-9 and 10. When the shifting member 5.!) .is pulled to the right, as shown in:.th.es e two figures, the pintle 27 and roller 28 are pulled to the right with the result that the gear is turned in the; direction of the arrow ,closed (Fig. 10) .and, through this, the pinions 13 and shafts 12 rotate the rotary valve member Sl.

it is of course understood thatthe specific description of structure set forth above may be departed from with.- out departingfrom-the spirit of thisinvention as disclosed in thisspecification andas definedz-bythe appended claims.

What is claimed-is:

a '1. .A'hydPaulie-device oftheclass described, comprise ing: .a housinghaving a rotary valve intermediate its ends and eoaxially'journaling a main shaft projecting fromone end :thereofga pair .of parallel valve-operating shafts jour- 1381.65 in the housing .on diametrically opposed axes as respects the main shaft, each operating shaft having an end portion at said one end ofthe housing provided with apioionm controlgear coaxially disposed at said oneend offsthehousingand surrounding the main shaft, said gear having diametrically opposed portions meshing respectively with :the pinions and further having diametrically opposed 'ereuate slots .angularly intermediate the :pinions and -Qnnt-1':ic with the main shaft; 9. pairof axially extending-parallel guide pins secured to and projectingfrom said, one end. of the housing-and respectively through said 35.611349.slqistand enablingiangular movement of the gear relative to the housing within theextent .of said arcuate slotsaaihollow huh rigid ,on and extending coaxially from the gear in surrounding relation to the main shaft, said 1 -112 having diametrically opposed portions provided respeotively-withrexternally opening cam grooves directed angnlarly and axially thereof; combined radial-load and and :thrust bearing means .journaling the 'hub and gear 524 main .Shaft and holding said :hub and gear-against axial displacement delativesto said -main .shaft; a sleene concentrically Surrounding the hub and having diametrically opposed axially directed ,guide slots therein respectively receiving the guide rods to hold the sleeve fi ail'lstirotation whilei'enahlingtaxial shifting of-said sleeve relative to th ivhousing, said sleeve h-aving'a'radial end wallportion apertured centrally to receive the main shaft; journaling the sleeve for rotation relative tothe main/shaftyan axially shiftable and rotatable collar on the mainshaft; means interconnecting the collar and the sleeve for shifting of thecollarand-sleeveaxially in unison while enabling relative rotation between the two; and a pair offdiam trically opposed cam -'followers carried by 3. The invention defined in claim ,1, in which: the

means interconnecting the collar and end wall portion 7 of he sl eve comp se a seeond r dial-load and ax thrust bearing means 'inter-journaling said sleeve and collar.

4. The invention defined in claim 3, in which: the end wall portion on the sleeve has rigid thereon a coaxial tubular portion encircling said second radial-load and axial-thrust bearing means, said tubular portion itshat iourna e i n t hou in on sliametrleallyepposed arse as espest the main ha t ea h. ope ti sha t hav ng amend po t on a said on en of he hoes as prov ded w th a p nion; cont o gea soaxial y the Pose a id one end of he h using a d' e r undin the main sh ft, s id gear hav ng diam tri al y opposed portion meshing respee iv y w t he p ions; a hollow h v a den a d extendin eoaxia y from the gear in surrounding r la ion t themain shaft, aid h biha-vin diametrically opposed portions providedrespectively with ex e n lly open ng cam .groove dir te ang ar v an axially thereof; combined radial-load and axial-thrust bearingmeans ieurneling he hub andigea-r on thernain shaft and holding said hub vand gear against axial dis;- placement relative to said main shaft; a sleeve concert.- trica-lly surrounding the hub and having a radial end wall portion apertured centrally to receive the mainzshaft; means journaling the sleeve for rotation relative to the main shaft; means secured to the housing and axially slidahly engaging the sleeve to hold the sleeve against rotation relative to the housing while permitting-axial shifting of the sleeve; an axially shiftable and rotatahle collar on the main shaft; means interconnecting the collar and the-sleeve for shifting of the collar and sleeve axially in unison while enabling relative rotation abetween the two; and a pair of diametrically opposed cam followers carried by the sleeve and received respectively by the cam grooveson the sleeve to incurangular move ment of the hub and gear in response to axial shifting of the collar and sleeve.

-6. A hydraulic device of the class described, comprising: ,-a housing having a rotary valve intermediate its ends and coaxially journaling a main shaft projecting from one end thereof; a valve-operating shaft journaled in the housing on an axis parallel to the main shaft and having an end portion at said one endof the housing provided i h .azpini ma ntr lsear coaxial vdisgo at said one end of the housing and surrounding the main sh ft an m shin ith the pini a ho l w ,hub .tis on sad-ex ending eea ia ly from hesearin sen und es relation to he main, sha t sa d hu a in a externally Qpeai e cam emov i ected ansula ly and ax al y-thereof; c mbined adia rl es a d xia hru t heari means i rnal ilszt e hu andsear n the 'nsha ans l d inf. a ub and sear against ax al displaceme 91 125.? to sa d main sha t; a le e concent ally sur ouedies h -hub a d havlnea rad a end w l po tion pe nred sentral y to eee e the main shalt; means iou nal ns the sleeve for to a i are tiv t th ma haf me ns se ur to he ho sing a d ax lly llda h' enga ng the .sleeve to hold the sleeve against rotation relative .to .the housing whilewperrnittingraxial shifting. of the sleeve;

an axially shiftable and rotatable collar on the main shaft; means interconnecting the collar and the sleeve for shifting of the collar and sleeve axially in unison While enabling relative rotation between the two; and

a cam follower carried by the sleeve and received by the cam groove on the sleeve to incur angular movement of the hub and gear in response to axial shifting of the collar and sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 951,318 Kjerulfi Mar. 8, 1910 1,195,385 Mottlau Aug. 22, 1916 1,510,153 Myers Sept. 30, 1924 6 Leach Feb. 7, Rabb May 22 Highsmith Oct. 26, Brisbane et al. Jan. 4, Meredith Jan. 19, Weengart Dec. 24, Hurst Feb. 4, Ebleberry June 8, Arvidson Feb. 3,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Aug. 18, Italy Germany 

